The Discovery of Poetry: A Field Guide to Reading and Writing Poems (Paperback)

by Frances Mayes (Author) "What motivates a poet to write?..." (more)
Key Phrases: pure rhymes, figurative image, lucky life, Collected Poems, Selected Poems, New Directions Publishing Corporation (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Best known as the author of Under the Tuscan Sun, Bella Tuscany and other memoirs of life in the Italian province, Frances Mayes until recently chaired of San Francisco State's creative writing department, and has published five books of poems. The Discovery of Poetry: A Field Guide to Reading and Writing Poems is the product of all her reading and writing experiences, with chapters on "Meter," "Rhyme and Repetition," "Subject and Style," covering all the bases with plenty of canonical exemplars.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Most readers know Mayes as the best-selling author of Under the Tuscan Sun, but she is also the author of five books of poetry and a former creative writing instructor. In this guide to reading and writing verse, Mayes's goal is to illustrate that poetry is accessible and fun rather than intimidating. Discussing rhyme, free verse, choice of subject, and style, she explains, in plain language, how poetry works. To prove her point, she includes hundreds of examples of poetry from different time periods. The chapter on interpretation, including a student's sample essay, may be helpful to students who are usually mortified by assignments that require an interpretation of a poem. The final chapter is a short lesson on poetry writing. Writing exercises, highlighted by the phrase "In Your Notebook," appear throughout and can be used for ideas and to jog the memory. A well-written book with good examples and solid advice, this manual will be appreciated in public and academic libraries alike. Lisa J. Cihlar, Monroe P.L., WI
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Harvest Books; 1St Edition edition (November 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0156007622
• ISBN-13: 978-0156007627
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #78,396 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A soulful introduction to poetry, April 25, 2002

By	Bradley Morehouse "Lover of Truth" (Cape Girardeau, MO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've bought and read many "Introduction to Poetry" books over the past several years, but this one is my favorite.

Most of the books of this genre are long on technical information, but lack passion behind the text. Think of a book about music written by a mathematician; The writer might get the technical points across, but the joy of experiencing the music would probably be lacking.

This book presents both the technical information necessary to enjoy poetry, and a selection wonderful poems that demonstrate the principles first hand. In fact, Ms. Mayes is so adept at selecting suitable poems that I think she could prove to be an anthologist of the highest caliber (hopefully she'll read this suggestion and take it to heart).

I recommend this book to anyone who has been baffled by poetry in the past. Enjoy the delights of this book for a time and you'll be hooked on poetry for good.

By the way, do the writing exercises too. You just may find your inner poet.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I bought this book for my daughter, then, October 10, 2002

By A Customer

I bought this book for my daughter, since she came home from school suddenly interested in writing poetry and I found it so fascinating that I bought another copy for myself. I've read Mayes's other books and loved them and sense that same person speaking, clearly and directly, but this time about a subject I've never really warmed to. And she's opened my eyes to another world, helped me tear down and push away all those cliches I had about poetry. Now I'm not so "afraid" when I read a poem that I'm not going to get it. She's very calmly shown me that a poem can just "be." My daughter loves it too and she's sixteen. Highly recommended for those who have always wondered why they never really understood what poetry was all about, but really wanted to.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Massive, Deep and Worth It, November 15, 2003

By	Julie Jordan Scott "Writer, Life Coach - Owne... (Bakersfield, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I was excited to discover this book, although its massive size at first made me curious. How much stuff is packed in here? I wondered.

The excellent features of this book include the "In Your Notebook" sections where you can try out the techniques and strategies Mayes has just explained. I also really enjoy the variety of poets whose works are introduced.

However, there are some moments where there is so much detail that I found myself losing interest and not retaining as much. In that respect, it really showed Mayes background with a university-type audience.

It is definitely worth it to have on any aspiring poet's shelf. I can see myself using this as a reference and as an inspiration for years to come.